Moving along in our series, we come to 2 Corinthians 5. In this passage, Paul describes the thoughts and ambitions that fill his soul.
We often think of ambition as a negative thing, and it easily can be if it is motivated by self. But there is a holy ambition the Christian should strive for. In this week’s episode, John Snyder and Chuck Baggett discuss what this proper ambition is and how to pursue it.
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Following the Follower IX: A Proper Ambition

John Snyder, host of the Behold Your God Study and an elder of Christ Church New Albany, walks us through the realities of the Christian life with an emphasis on experiential Christianity. We love books on our podcast, so we tend to find great help in old books written by church fathers, puritans, and others. John has a plethora of guests to come on the show and share different insights into the books we discuss.

Religion & Spirituality

Other

Spirituality

Christianity

Buddhism

Hinduism

Judaism

Islam

Dr. John Snyder is joined this week by Acey Floyd, co-elder of Christ Church New Albany and Media Gratiae’s Office Manager, to start a new series discussing the Christian’s union with Christ. This doctrine is central to the letters of Paul in the New Testament and should therefore be central in our lives.
Union with Christ can be seen as the central hub of the wheel that is the Christian life. If we put that hub as anything else, the wheel will become warped and our progress will be slowed.
For this first episode, John and Acey focus on the Who we are united to. We are united to the only Being in history to have two distinct natures. Jesus Christ is truly the Godman. If He is not God, as some have claimed, our union with Him would be worthless. If He is not human, as others have claimed, our union with Him would be impossible.
Show Notes:
Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
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Union with Christ I: The Most Important Word

Jeremy Walker, pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church in Crawley, England (a town just south of London) is a long-time friend of Media Gratiae. We turn to him when we have difficult questions and value his wisdom and godliness.
Several months ago, while Jeremy was preaching in Lusaka, Zambia, he was approached by a man who was burdened for the orphans on the streets of Lusaka. This man had been seeking a way to help educate, evangelize, and disciple these children. After a short conversation, Jeremy understood the need and decided he had to become involved in the ministry himself.
Currently, The Hope Project is seeking to provide education so the children can learn to read Scripture for themselves. While meeting their spiritual needs, the team behind The Hope Project is also working to meet their physical needs.
We pray this special episode of our podcast will pique your interest, and you will begin praying for The Hope Project. If the Lord enables you to financially support the ministry, a link to where you can do that is provided below.
 
Show Notes:
Project Hope
Go Fund Me - Help the Hope Project Care for Vulnerable Children
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-hope-project-care-for-vulnerable-children
Learn more about The Hope Project here:
https://hopeprojectzambia.org/the-great-commission/
See more from Jeremy Walker here:
From the Heart of Spurgeon: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon
A Word in Season: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/a-word-in-season
Through the Eyes of Spurgeon: https://shop.mediagratiae.org/products/through-the-eyes-of-spurgeon-feature-edition-dvd-package

The Hope Project with Jeremy Walker

This week, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James will wrap up our series on a talk given by Hudson Taylor to several missionaries in the late 19th century. His main emphasis throughout the talk was the significance of the missionaries living a life that aligns with their teaching.
While we are focused on living consistent lives, we also have to be aware of the contradictory nature of the Christian life. But the contradictions aren’t between teaching and life. They are between what is happening to us and how we respond.
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:8-10, “We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.”
So, as we strive for consistency in our lives, let us also embrace those contradictions the Lord brings for the glory of His name and the growth of His kingdom on earth.
And if you haven’t taken the time to read Hudson Taylor’s short talk to his missionaries, let us encourage you to do so at the link below. We pray you will find it beneficial.
Show Notes:
Days of Blessing in Inland China: Being an Account of Meetings Held in the Province of Shan-Si
Digital: https://www.brethrenarchive.org/bookshelf/missionary/china/days-of-blessing-in-inland-china/
sPhysical: https://www.amazon.com/Days-Blessings-Inland-China-Meetings-ebook/dp/B00MW7YMRG
Hudson Taylor Biography
https://www.davidsonpublishing.org/hudson-taylor.html
Poor Richard
https://issuu.com/omf_international/docs/poor_richard_gospel_tract#google_vignette
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Power of a Consistent Life III: The Oxymoronic Nature of Christianity

This week we continue discussing a talk Hudson Taylor gave to a group of missionaries in the late 1800s. His talk was grounded in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 and focused on the importance of leading a life consistent with the teachings of Christ.
There is so much to highlight, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James couldn’t fit it all into one episode (or even two). So today they take a deep look at what it means to commend oneself to the world. We do not do so to bring glory to ourselves, but to show the world our message is true and can be lived upon.
There are other fruits beyond evangelism. By living in the power of Christianity before those we love, we protect them from false teachers. Heresies are not powerful enough to live upon. Only the gospel is. So if we want to teach others the true gospel and give them answers to the false teachings, we must lead holy lives.
Show Notes:
Days of Blessing in Inland China: Being an Account of Meetings Held in the Province of Shan-Si
Digtal: https://www.brethrenarchive.org/bookshelf/missionary/china/days-of-blessing-in-inland-china/
Physical: https://www.amazon.com/Days-Blessings-Inland-China-Meetings-ebook/dp/B00MW7YMRG
Hudson Taylor Biography
https://www.davidsonpublishing.org/hudson-taylor.html
Poor Richard
https://issuu.com/omf_international/docs/poor_richard_gospel_tract#google_vignette
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Power of a Consistent Life II: We Commend Ourselves

Hudson Taylor is no stranger to anyone who has been through a Media Gratiae study. He was a pioneer missionary to inland China and founded the Inland China Mission. There is a great deal we could say about his life and ministry, but Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James wanted to spend the next two weeks walking through a particular talk Taylor gave to his missionaries in the 1880s.
The talk is recorded in “Days of Blessing in Inland China” and the story of its creation is worth noting, as John does in the podcast. But the heart of his focus is 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 where Paul is teaching that Christians do not have to rely on the same tools and deceitful approaches of the world for success. We do not have to alter the truth of the gospel to affect change. We use His means and trust His hand.
While Taylor’s talk is aimed at missionaries, his applications speak to the pastor, the Sunday school teacher, the parent, or the Christian friend witnessing to a lost soul. Because we wanted to give a brief biography of Taylor in this episode, we only get through the first major point of his talk. We will finish it next week. If you would like to read it for yourself, find the link below.
Show Notes:
Days of Blessing in Inland China: Being an Account of Meetings Held in the Province of Shan-Si
Digtal: https://www.brethrenarchive.org/bookshelf/missionary/china/days-of-blessing-in-inland-china/
Physical: https://www.amazon.com/Days-Blessings-Inland-China-Meetings-ebook/dp/B00MW7YMRG
Hudson Taylor Biography
https://www.davidsonpublishing.org/hudson-taylor.html
Poor Richard
https://issuu.com/omf_international/docs/poor_richard_gospel_tract#google_vignette
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Following the Follower IX: A Proper Ambition

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